Behind The Mask
by ChelseaGrinn
Summary: Beth was the older sister of Mindy and the first daughter of Damon. She suffered from the death of her mother and the lifestyle she had been sucked into when Damon came back into their lives, but she doesn't seem all that worried when a certain mafia son takes an interest in her. — Chris D'Amico/OC.
1. Preface

**WARNING | Vulgar Language, Intense Scenes, Mild Adult Content**

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><p>It was one thing to read about superheroes but another to become one of them, it was dangerous and it never faired well to come unprepared to a fight, especially when you've been taught to always watch your back. No one was safe as you thought they were and despite her father's warnings about this she couldn't help but notice this kid that always came into Atomic Comics with this kicked expression on his face despite the smile whenever he'd snatch a rare Spiderman comic.<p>

That was for another time though as her family was a little more important at the moment. It felt as if her world was stretching at the seams and it would only be a matter of time before they broke completely. Her father was a tad homicidal with this crazy costume vigilante idea that he had sucked Mindy into. Daddy was heartbroken, they knew, but she knew this was a little too much. Mindy didn't know how else to think since her childhood was ripped away from her; barbie dolls were exchanged for automatic weapons and makeup replaced for ridiculous leather suits.

She was saddened that Mindy didn't have the childhood she did, but what could she do? She could lift a finger and in a second they would have her in a headlock. She wasn't strong like them and they knew it too. Mindy was her whole world and was a sweet kid beneath the cold exterior, but her father was another story. He was different than he was before and she has to admit he terrifies her a little. She was outnumbered and felt lost, sometimes she cried herself to sleep at night, and then scolded herself for it in the morning. Tears were a sign of weakness, she was told.

It was currently her fifteenth birthday and she was excited as she was shaken awake with Mindy standing at the side of her bed with a wide smile on her face, a box wrapped in purple paper with a silver bow at the top in one hand and a mini cupcake in the other with a lit candle shoved in the middle, "Happy birthday, Beth!"

She sat up with a sleepy smile on her face, "Thanks, Mindy." She reached out to tug affectionately on the blonde pigtails her little sister sported. "Is it time to make a wish?" Mindy ignored the tug on her pigtails and nodded enthusiastically. "Yup!" If that wasn't enough incentive the cupcake being shoved infront of her was. "Make a wish, sissy."

Despite having a vulgar mouth, there were the occasional slips a normal kid had, and she was filled with warmth to hear Mindy call her sissy. She leant away from the flame taking the cupcake from the bony fingers that Mindy had and blew out the candles, "I wish.. For nothing." The flame disappeared as smoke formed from the wick and handed the candle to Mindy who sucked the icing off the bottom.

The child stared up at her with confusion, "Why nothing?"

She smiled wider wrapping her little sister up in a hug, "Because I have everything I want right here."

Mindy scoffed, "You're such a sap, Beth."

She laughed, "I am, truly." She took the box that was handed to her with a smile and didn't hesitate to rip off the wrapping lifting the lid. Metal shined back at her and she faltered for a moment. The box was small enough to hold a tennis bracelet or a small bottle of perfume but that wasn't what was situated inside the small box. It was a switchblade.

Mindy beamed up at her bouncing on the balls of her sneakers, "You like it?" Mindy didn't want to buy her a new speaker box this time or a fur coat she snatched from a drug pen deal that she put a stop to and she wanted her older sister to have more protection on her instead of a can of bear mace which Beth never uses.

"It's nice, Mindy.. But why a switchblade?" She knew something was up and didn't like it.

"Because you suck when it comes to using firearms." Mindy had tried that out with Beth one time and it didn't turn out so well. She ended up nearly blowing off their heads and shot some drunk dude in the arm who was unconventionally walking by. Safe to say they ran off and swore that Beth would never own a revolver in her life.

She shook her head, "That's true.. You're sure it doesn't have to do with Hit-Girl and Big Daddy?"

Mindy sighed and hopped up on the bed next to her older sister, "In a way it does. You need to start helping us out, sissy." Baby talk was sure to win her over on the superhero matter. "Daddy wants the both of us on the team. Not only myself, Hit-Girl, but his first child. The Hornet."

"The Hornet?" She couldn't help it. She laughed at that.

Mindy blushed, "Still working on the name, but we have the costume. It's black and yellow with stripes of white."

She thought for a moment, what was the harm in helping with a name? "How about Bumblebee?"

Mindy yelped out with enthusiasm, "Perfect!"

Oh crap, what did she do?

She frowned when Mindy turned to her with a smirk, "Does that mean you'll do it?" She sighed out running a hand through her blonde hair which was messy from sleeping on it. She didn't like the fact that they could die out there and she wouldn't know about it. Perhaps her mind was made up a long time ago and this was her answer.. "Yes."

Mindy cried out happily wrapping the older blonde in a tight hug which was suffocating, "This is the best birthday ever!"

She laughed out loud, "I thought that was supposed to be my line!"


	2. Chapter 1

**WARNING | Vulgar Language, Intense Scenes, Mild Adult Content**

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><p>Beth wasn't sure this was such a brilliant idea anymore. Sure she worried for her little sibling but this was insane. Her father stood a couple of yards away with Mindy smiling happily beside him and where was she? Prepared to be shot. Please, someone tell her this wasn't crazy because she felt nervous. Beyond nervous, actually. "It'll be just fine, honeybee."<p>

_That's what she said_, she thought dryly.

"You're sure this is safe, Daddy?"

Mindy nodded piping into the conversation, "It's no more different than being punched in the chest, Beth. You'll be fine." She cared for her older sister but this wasn't calming her down more so than scaring her further. "You can do this, Beth! You're a McCready, not a pussy." Was that a trick statement? She sure as hell had one.

She swallowed making a face, "I've never been punched in the chest." Beth wanted to scream and run away but before she could think anything else the breath was knocked out of her lungs as she was thrown back onto the concrete. "Ah!" She yelped out as her back hit the cold, damp ground and sucked in a breath. "I've been shot!" Eyes wide she ripped open the thick fluffy coat she wore seeing the bullet proof vest pocketing a crumpled bullet.

The laughter of her father and her little sister reached her ears and she blushed heavily, "I'm alive!" She laughed breathlessly letting her head fall back onto the concrete spilling blonde hair over it as she sighed out in relief. "I'm still breathing!" A little painfully though, she might add but she was thankful she wasn't killed.

Mindy and Daddy stalked over with triumphant smiles on their faces as he spoke up, "See? That wasn't so hard now was it?" He bent down to yank the bullet out of the Kevlar Vest chuckling under his breath. "A couple more rounds and we'll be done. Then if you've done well enough we'll go out for icecream and bowling." Something her little sister would love.

"What about the comic shop?" She allowed Mindy to help her to her feet a little dazed and nervous of having to do this a couple more times. The blow wasn't that bad but being thrown back was the problem. That hurt like hell and she was anxious to try it again. Beth wanted to visit the comic shop.. As she stared at the watch on her wrist. Not for the comics either. She blushed under her father's stare. He was a hard ass.

"Alright.. Two more rounds. No wincing, no whining, and we'll drop you off there. How does that sound?"

Mindy held her hand with a nod, "Go for it, Beth! You already did so well the first time, the next two rounds should be a breeze." Beth sighed looking down at her little sister thinking it over before nodding with a smile on her face, "Sure, why not?" She would pay for this later, surely.

Mindy ran back to Daddy's side as they returned to their respective spots. She was so not looking forward to two more rounds but wanted so bad to return to her favorite comic stop, where the cute dork she had a major crush on would be, and she forced herself to smile. Eyes bright and cheeks rosy she spoke, "I'll bring back some coffee on the way out."

"Good idea, honeybee."

**BANG!**

Beth moaned out as she shuffled into the comic shop; with Mindy and Daddy settled on the rooftops which was their way of escorting her to the little café type of store. She'd lost the fluffy coat, the vest, and had to change into something else. She sported an acrylic sweater underneath blue jean overalls with shorts instead of pants, some converse sneakers which were worn out and faded from years of abuse, and tied her messy dark blonde hair up into a ponytail. Her bright pink watch stood out amongst the darker colors of her clothes and that was really the only splash of color she had.

She sauntered over to the counter to order a strawberry banana smoothie which was a current favorite, "Tommy!" She leaned on the counter with a real smile stretching across her face. Tommy, or Tom, turned around from the coffee machine to face her. She thought he was cute with the freckles that dotted his cheeks, the sea blue eyes he had, and the shaggy brunette hair that threatened to hang in his eyes. A surfer look that she couldn't think of pulling off and wouldn't try to. Beth didn't feel anything towards him either. She liked boys with dark hair and brown eyes like the men in the novels she read from time to time. "What's up?"

Tom chuckled, "Nothing. Strawberry banana?" He leant his hands on the counter meeting her nose to nose so he could whisper. "Chris has been asking where you were, you're a little late, aren't you?" He smirked watching the red rise into her cheeks. She believed his every word about the rich kid and decided to tease her, "You're so whipped, Beth. He hasn't even been in the store yet."

Beth wanted to wrap her hands around his throat as she scowled up at him, "Jerk!"

He only laughed and moved away to make her smoothie, "You like it." He knew she was watching him as he blended and mixed all the ingredients in the blender. The way she always did, always so curious about almost everything, and he smiled. "So, why so late this time?"

She shuffled where she stood, "Family being crazy." And they were. God, she wondered how she still kept her sanity.

Tom snickered pouring the ice cold smoothie into a clear cup as he turned to face her, "When are they not?" He didn't know about Mindy or Daddy, but she knew he was suspicious as he never heard anything about them. Beth only referred to them as family and what they were; a father and a little sister but that's it. No names, no faces, and not even some of the things they'd done together was spoken. Sometimes she'd tell him stories about before this happened, before Mindy came, and sometimes those stories were new but not as crazy.

She took the cup from his hands with a chuckle, "I'm not sure, Tom." Sipping from the straw she shook her head turning around and bumping into.. Him. Of all the people, it had to be _him_, and they both stumbled away from each other shocked. Him into the comic book container and her into the counter spilling smoothie everywhere. And who was it?

_Chris D'Amico_.

Beth sucked in a sharp gasp. Partially from the fact that her converse, ankles, and half the floor was smothered in frothy pink, strawberry and banana lumps but the other fact was that she bumped into the co-star of her dreams. Other than herself, of course.


End file.
